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published by
the Florida State University
supported by
the National Science Foundation
edited by
Kristen Coyne
technical implementer:
Matthew J. Parry-Hill

This interactive Java tutorial allows students to play with a replica of the historic torsion balance used by Coulomb in his 18th-century experiments to measure the electrostatic force between charges. By carefully recording the measurements he obtained with his torsion balance, Coulomb was able to establish the law that bears his name. Coloumb's law states that the attraction or repulsion force between two electrical charges is proportional to their product and inversely proportional to the square of their distance apart.

Mag Lab U is part of a large collection of web-based educational materials for K-20, developed by the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Florida State University.

Units (2)

This resource is part of 2 Physics Front Topical Units.

Topic: "Static" ElectricityUnit Title: Electric Force

In this Java simulation, your students play with a replication of Coulomb's historic torsion balance -- a device used to measure electric force between charges. Coulomb's methodical measuring laid the foundation for Coulomb's Law, a fundamental principle of electricity and magnetism.

In this Java simulation, your students play with a replication of Coulomb's historic torsion balance: a device used to measure electric force between charges. Coulomb's methodical measuring laid the foundation for Coulomb's Law, a fundamental principle of electricity and magnetism.

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